Somehow, the exposition keeps growing longer without me noticing.
「My, you've persevered quite a while. Well then? Did it go well?」
As I opened the door, Reinrich, seated at the reception desk, called out to me.
「So-so… I guess?」
「Here, let me take a look.」
Prompted by his words, I retrieved the finished potions from my magic storage and lined them up.
「Hoh. You've done well. The quality isn't bad either.」
「Oh, really? That's kinda nice to hear.」
「I thought you'd only manage (Inferior) at best, but hmm, hmm. It's always a pleasure when a skilled one joins the guild.」
I don't know why, but it makes me oddly happy.
Still, I really did work hard.
'Show them how it's done, explain it to them, let them try it themselves, and if you don't praise them, they won't be motivated.'
Yamamoto Isoroku once said that, and damn if it isn't true.
It makes you want to push yourself harder next time.
「Oh, right. Where should I go to sell these potions and stuff?」
「Either sell them to us or take them directly to the Adventurer's Guild. Even (Inferior) ones have demand, so you shouldn't have trouble selling them.」
「What about setting up a stall?」
「You could, but in that case, you'd need to pay the Merchant's Guild for a sales permit. My recommendation is still the Adventurer's Guild.」
「I see…」
Since I have a lot of (Inferior) and (Minor) grades, it's a relief there's demand.
「Ah, also, I tried making some accessories—wanna take a look?」
「Hoh. You've been keeping yourself quite busy.」
I pulled out a twisted necklace from my magic storage and handed it over.
「Hoh! You've really outdone yourself! This one could fetch around 10,000 nohl in trade.」
「Seriously?! That's crazy high!!」
A freaking necklace!
10,000 nohl is the same as my pocket money skill.
That's 10,000 yen in Japanese terms. Even if the MP efficiency isn't great, if I lock myself in the alchemy room and make just one, I'd not only break even but turn a profit.
And the material cost? One iron ingot can make eight of these.
Even if I mess up three, as long as I get one right, it's a huge win.
Selling ingots as-is really is a waste.
「Still, it's just a plain iron necklace. I'm surprised it's worth that much.」
「If wearing it around your neck gives the same effect as leather armor, then yeah, it's worth that much.」
「Whoa! Really?!」
This granny's smooth as hell. She really knows how to hype people up.
In that case, once I get back, I should lock myself in the alchemy room again and mass-produce accessories. That sounds like easy money.
「You can take this to the Adventurer's Guild too—they'll buy it.」
「Hell yeah! Then I'll go right—… no, first, I'm gonna grab some food.」
Perhaps I should store the potions in a magic bag rather than empty magic space.
Pulling items from nothingness might raise unnecessary questions.
The item bag… well, technically it's on loan from Hayato.
If anyone asks, I'll simply say I borrowed it from Hayato.
Hayato's with the Adventurer's Guild, so they'll understand.
「Ah, go on then. You won't negotiate properly with that stomach growling.」
「Right. Any recommended places to eat?」
「Hard to guess what you 『Drifters』 prefer… The central fountain square has food stalls – pick whatever suits your fancy.」
Food stalls! Perfect. I'm in the mood for something hearty like skewered meat.
「More importantly, do you even have coin before selling? The potion vials can wait until after payment.」
「No worries! I can get 10,000 nohl anytime! Be right back!」
As I turned, I activated 『Pocket Money』.
A silver coin materialized midair which I caught and pocketed in the magic bag.
Reinrich might have noticed, but it's nothing compromising – and he's trustworthy anyway.
「…Drifters always have the most inexplicable skills… Well, we expect oddities from your kind.」
With those words, Reinrich lazily watched me depart.
-0-
Upon exiting the Alchemist Guild, I headed toward the central square.
Not that I knew the exact direction – I just followed the tantalizing aromas.
The rich scent of roasting meat made my stomach growl and mouth water.
My pace quickened naturally as I navigated the crowds, reaching the surprisingly nearby destination swiftly.
True to its name, the central square bustled with activity – crowded yet navigable.
The grand fountain and its accompanying goddess statue immediately caught my eye.
The deity looked vaguely familiar… perhaps the one who granted my skills?
Though I recall the actual goddess being cuter.
But now – the stalls! Dozens lined the area, each vendor loudly hawking wares.
『Step right up! Fresh salt-grilled seafood from port town Meraldo! A delicacy for just 700 nohl!』
『Over here sir! Famous Helen Ranch beef skewers – 800 nohl per stick!』
『Now now, good meat and fish need proper bread! Fluffy white loaves using Feyles Plains wheat! Pairs perfectly with everything – just 1000 nohl for this hefty portion!』
The lively atmosphere must stem from this city's nature as a commercial hub.
Each vendor passionately explains their goods' origins while competing to present the most enticing offers.
「Ah… everything looks delicious. Right now I could probably eat it all.」
『Here we have giant caterpillar meat native to these parts! Local delicacies rival any regional specialty! Einzheil caterpillars are absolutely divine! Pricier than most, but worth every coin! Char-grilled Caterpilus for 3000 nohl!』
I take it back – maybe not everything after all.
They actually eat those massive caterpillars in this world?!
And at that price?!
Nearly four times the cost of those delicious-looking beef skewers!
Aren't those technically monsters too?
So they consume monsters here…
And surprisingly many customers are eating them…
Urgh… Better not look too closely.
My empty stomach might rebel.
Avoiding insects and unknown fare, I settle on trustworthy beef.
Purchasing two beef skewers and using the change for a white loaf.
The fish intrigued me, but today calls for hearty meat.
Total: 2600 nohl. In Japanese terms, extravagant for lunch, but acceptable as a rare treat.
Finding an empty bench near the fountain, I take my first bite of beef.
As promised by the vendor using Helen Ranch cattle, the marbling makes it exquisite.
Incredible… Simply salted and grilled, yet this flavorful?
Each chew releases savory juices, the umami intensifying until it practically melts away.
Next, tearing into the fluffy white loaf –
Slightly sweet, perfectly neutral to complement anything.
Including these skewers.
Gone in moments.
This demands… a sandwich. Stacking beef between bread like some glorious monster.
Unable to resist, I split another loaf, slide off the skewer's contents, and assemble my creation.
Ah… heavenly.
The pillowy bread absorbs the beef's rich drippings, elevating both components.
Textural contrast between airy bread and meat makes each bite an event.
Unorthodox? Perhaps. Delicious? Undeniably.
As I prepare another bite, movement catches my eye –
A cat-eared girl opposite me has frozen mid-bite, mouth comically wide.
Noticing my stare, she snaps her jaw shut, but her gaze remains locked on my beef sandwich.
Her tiny hands clutch her stomach as she stares with laser focus.
「Um… do you want to eat this? 」
When I asked, the cat-eared girl nodded eagerly, though she seemed curious about the ring around her neck.
Well, I figured it didn't matter and offered her the beef skewer sandwich. It wasn't until after I handed it over that I realized it was half-eaten, but the girl didn't seem to care. She opened her small mouth as wide as she could and took a big bite.
She bit into it so hungrily that it might have been hard to chew, but even as she mumbled with her mouth full, her eyes sparkled with happiness. I thought I even saw tears forming.
Still… those cat ears and that tail—way too cute.
「Ah, so this is where you were!」
A merchant-looking man came walking through the crowd, spotting the cat-eared girl and hurrying over.
He was out of breath, panting heavily, but he didn't seem like a bad person.
In fact, he had a gentle-looking face that left a strong impression.
「Haah… I was looking all over for you. I told you not to wander off, didn't I? Hm?」
Noticing the cat-eared girl munching on something, he turned his eyes toward me, still holding the half-eaten white bread.
「Ah… that's not good. It's considered poor manners to feed a slave without permission, you know」
「A slave? 」
「Yes, you see the collar? That's the mark of a slave. Didn't you know? 」
「Ah, sorry. I didn't realize」
「I see… judging from your unusual attire, might you be a noble from somewhere? If that's the case, would you be interested in purchasing this slave? 」
Unusual attire…? Now that he mentioned it, I was wearing a suit and dress shirt. No jacket, but with a tie, I probably looked like a traveling salesman.
Looking around, I didn't see anyone else dressed like me, so I guess it really did look strange.
「No, it's not like that… and I don't have any money right now. Huh? 」
I felt a tug at my sleeve and looked down to see the cat-eared girl gazing at the beef skewer sandwich again, pleading with her eyes.
When I looked at the merchant-like man, he gestured with an open palm as if to say 'Go ahead'.
With his permission, I offered the sandwich once more. She opened her mouth wide again and took another big bite.
There was hardly anything left now, just a scrap of white bread, but seeing her eat so happily made me give up on trying to hold onto it.
「She seems quite attached to you. Perhaps you should consider buying her… 」
「No, wait. I'm telling you, I really don't have any money right now」
「So if you did have money, would you be willing to buy her? 」
「Hold on. I don't even know the price, and I wouldn't have a clue what to do with a slave. Is this really something you negotiate out in the open like this? 」
Looking around, I noticed that people were watching from a distance.
「…That's true. In that case, if you are interested, please visit the Yasis Slave Market」
There's a place like that? So slaves are a normal thing in this world…
Come to think of it, I might've seen a dog-eared boy wearing a collar while working behind a food stall earlier.
「Alright. If I end up with some spare coin, I'll think about stopping by」
「Yes, please do. My instincts as a merchant tell me we'll have a long and fruitful relationship. When that time comes, I'll be sure to offer you a special deal」
I felt another tug at my shirt and turned my head to see her staring up at me again.
I thought she wanted the last bite, so I held it out, but she shook her head from side to side.
「Come… okay? You promise」
「Eh? Oh, uh, yeah」
Caught off guard by her unexpected words, I watched as the cat-eared girl took the final bite of the beef skewer sandwich, then walked away with the slave merchant.
-0-
Just before disappearing, she turned and waved. I raised my hand in return, and the two of them vanished into the crowd.
All that remained was the now-cold beef skewer and the half-eaten white bread.
Even cold, it still tasted good—good enough that I figured I'd buy another.